Garak and Worf investigate a message which suggests that Cardassian spymaster Enabran Tain is still alive. Upon their arrival, not only do they find Tain, but also General Martok... and someone they did not expect. (Part 1 of 2)

Contents

Summary

Teaser

MajorKira is helping Odo reorganize his living quarters. Odo ponders on how much, as a solid, he enjoyed sleeping in a bed. Kira suggests that if he enjoyed it so much he should keep the bed and continue using it. Odo points out, however, that he reverts to a gelatinous state when he falls asleep and slides off the bed, so keeping it would be pointless. Kira then stumbles upon a PADD entitled Finding and Winning your Perfect Mate. Odo snatches the PADD away and lowers his head, trying to explain its purpose. Kira suggests that he continue reading the PADD, given that he is a solid 18 hours a day. Dax contacts Odo over the comm.

A Gamma Quadrant listening post has just picked up an encoded Cardassian transmission. Unable to decode the transmission, Odo suggests allowing Garak to attempt to decrypt the transmission. On to the Promenade some time after, Elim Garak explains to Tora Ziyal and Dr.Bashir that the transmission was nothing more than a five-year-old planetary survey report. Garak brushes off the transmission as unimportant. Bashir responds that he is surprised that Garak isn't at all enthusiastic about a Cardassian transmission coming from the Gamma Quadrant, considering it could have been from the survivors of the joint Cardassian-Romulan attack fleet that was lost there.

Garak states that he has long given up on the idea of finding any survivors, to which Ziyal states "I never saw you as the giving-up type." Then Garak sneaks on board a Federationrunabout; as he approaches the controls one of the chairs swivels around to reveal Bashir pointing a phaser at the tailor. "Going somewhere?" the doctor asks pointedly.

Act One

"I really must remember to stop underestimating you," says Garak, who then reveals that the transmission was really a distress call from Enabran Tain, the former head of the Obsidian Order. The Cardassian tailor admits that he and Tain were "very close," and despite their tumultuous history, feels obliged to find him. Garak offers to bring Bashir along with him on this rescue mission. Bashir appears to agree at first, but then aims the phaser back at Garak and orders him to CaptainSisko's office.

At Sisko's ready room, Garak reveals that the transmission code sequence was designed by Tain and himself. No one else could decrypt it. Garak portrays his rescue attempt as a "mission of mercy," suggesting to Sisko that there might be other survivors of Dominion attacks imprisoned with Tain – including Federation citizens. Sisko is still naturally suspicious, but agrees to let Garak go... but only if CommanderWorf goes along with him.

Ziyal expresses her feelings for Garak

In his quarters, Dax is furious that Worf did not inform her of his involvement in Garak's mission. Worf brushes it off, saying it would not be the Klingon way to "explain why [he] chooses to face danger, not even to his par'Mach'kai." Jadzia's anger changes to nonchalance as she takes Worf's Klingon operas, intending to enjoy them while he is away. Worf seems perturbed by the thought, worried that Dax might misplace them. Dax coyly invites him to hurry back.

Over at Quark's, Tora Ziyal tries to express her feelings for Garak but the tailor simply brushes it off, embarrassed. Nonetheless, he promises that no matter what happens, he "will come back." They share a moment before it is interrupted by a furious Dukat, who rushes in and threatens to throw Garak over the railing if he ever touches Ziyal again. Despite Garak's snide remarks, Quark intervenes and threatens to call security while Ziyal pleads with her father, who finally relents. Garak, seemingly unaffected by the whole incident, chips in a final retort and says, "You do have a lovely daughter; she must take after her mother." Dukat explains to Ziyal that he is here for repairs and to spend time with her. Looking in Garak's general direction, he continues, "I can see we have a lot to talk about."

Sisko accompanies Worf to the shuttlebay, reiterating that this is a reconnaissance mission and to avoid Dominion ships at all costs. Worf doesn't seem too happy about working with Garak.

Act Two

While on their way through the Gamma Quadrant, Garak tries his best to convince Worf to support his application to Starfleet Academy. Worf finally gives in, only to realize the Cardassian fooled him the whole time. Garak points out that lying, as any skill, must be practiced constantly.

Dukat confronts Major Kira, accusing her of betraying him by letting Ziyal fraternize with a personal enemy of his. He swears never to forget it; Kira only replies that "if that's a threat, I'm not impressed."

Worf stops the runabout, having decided that the source of the signal is too deep in Dominion space and that the risk of stumbling over Jem'Hadar forces is too high. Garak can convince him that by going through an interstellar nebula, they can come closer to the source without appearing on the Jem'Hadar's sensors. However, shortly after they enter the nebula, a large Dominion fleet appears.

Act Three

Worf tries to get away, but the runabout is trapped in a tractor beam and boarded by a group of Jem'Hadar soldiers. Never deterred, Garak says, "Are we glad to see you! Could one of you point us in the direction of the wormhole?" one of them knocks him unconscious.

Dax and Kira talk about Kirayoshi O'Brien's progress in recognizing people when a distress signal from Worf arrives. They can only understand part of it, but the words "Jem'Hadar," "buildup," and "imminent," together with the fact that two of Starfleet's listening posts in the Gamma Quadrant are suddenly destroyed makes everyone realize that the long-feared Dominion invasion is about to begin. Sisko orders Dax to notify Starfleet, put the station on yellow alert and "make sure everyone knows this is not a drill." He then sends Kira and the USS Defiant to the Gamma Quadrant to find Worf.

Act Four

Another listening post is destroyed and a ship exits the wormhole. It turns out to be the Defiant. Sisko hails Kira and asks her what she found. "Trouble," she answers.

Gul Dukat meets his daughter in front of the Bajoran shrine. He tells Ziyal that a Dominion fleet will arrive soon and that he wants her to leave for Cardassia. She is visibly unhappy about that decision.

Internment Camp 371

Worf and Garak are confined to Barracks 6, where they meet GeneralMartok, a high-ranking Klingon officer who had been replaced by a Changeling impostor two years earlier. It turns out he has been waiting for them, as has Enabran Tain, who is in bad health and only has days to live due to heart problems. He greets them roughly, which does not seem to surprise a bitter Garak, who says he would have at least hoped for something like "thank you, Elim." Tain replies that all Garak did was to doom them both.

Dukat arrives to a briefing with DS9's senior staff where Sisko makes it clear that the only chance to fight back the Jem'Hadar invasion fleet is to seal the wormhole without damaging it or harming the Prophets, by using a series of phase-conjugate graviton beams (a method invented by TrillscientistLenara Kahn). Kira objects to the sealing of the Celestial Temple, but Sisko overrules her.

Dr. Bashir... the real Dr. Bashir, at Internment Camp 371

Martok informs the newly arrived prisoners that Tain modified the life support system of their prison cell to send the subspace message to Cardassia, when a female Romulan prisoner arrives and tells Martok that "he" has been released from isolation. Worf asks who she is talking about, to which Martok replies: "A friend." A few seconds later, a Jem'Hadar pushes another prisoner, a Human wearing the previous style of Starfleet uniform, into the room, who, to Garak's and Worf's great astonishment, turns out to be Dr. Julian Bashir.

Act Five

Bashir performs a blood screening on himself to prove to his fellow inmates that he is not a Changeling. After that, he describes how he went to sleep after a conference about a month ago and woke up in the internment camp the next morning. Martok describes how the same happened to him after he was abducted from Qo'noS while hunting saber bear on Kang's Summit, and expresses disdain towards the Changeling who replaced him, calling it a "grave dishonor". Worf says they must find a way to warn Captain Sisko before the Changeling who replaced Bashir can carry out whatever mission he has.

This very Changeling arrives at Ops at the same time, bringing sandwiches for Dax and O'Brien, who are working on the modifications on the graviton emitter controls. He tells them to let him know if they need anything.

Dukat is waiting in front of an airlock when Ziyal arrives and tells him that she will not leave DS9. Her father gets furious, telling her that things on Cardassia will change soon and that Garak is probably dead already. Ziyal still refuses to go, so Dukat rushes off, telling her to "stay here and be damned."

Martok informs Garak that if there is anything left he wants to say to Tain, he'd better do it soon. Garak and Bashir make their way to their prison cell, where Tain has already gone blind. He asks Garak if they're alone, and Garak lies about Bashir's presence, telling Tain that there's no-one else there. Tain then asks Garak about his enemies, to which his former protégé assures him that they have all been taken care of. Tain than advises him to stay alive and avenge his death. Garak says he will do so if he asks him this favor not as a mentor or a superior officer, but as a father. Tain replies that he is not his son, but Garak interrupts him: "Father, you're dying. For once in your life, speak the truth." The dying spymaster finally admits that Garak is in fact his son and dies after sharing a fond memory of a day in Garak's youth ("the only day," according to Garak).

Meanwhile, the DS9 crew tries to seal the wormhole, but the station's graviton emitter array has been sabotaged and fails to destabilize the wormhole's graviton matrix. The wormhole opens moments later and allows a large Dominion battle fleet to enter the Alpha Quadrant…

Memorable quotes

"I just don't see why these runabout replicators can't provide a more varied menu. I'd like to get my hands on that fellow Earl Grey and tell him a thing or two about... tea leaves."

- Garak

"What about Garak?"
"I want him back, too. I suppose I don't have to tell you to keep a close eye on him?"
"At the first sign of betrayal, I will kill him. But, I promise to return the body intact."
"I assume that's a joke."
"We will see."

- Worf and Sisko, regarding Garak

"Garak promised me that he would come back."
"Listen to me, Ziyal. He's never coming back. He's probably dead already. And even if he isn't, the Federation is going to seal the wormhole. Garak will be trapped on the other side!"
"He made a promise, and so did I. I said I would wait for him, and I will!"
"Is a promise to an enemy of your family more important than obeying your father? So be it. Stay here if that's what you want. Stay here and be damned!"

- Ziyal and Dukat

"We must warn the station. There is only one reason for the Dominion to hide such a large fleet this close to the wormhole."
"You think they're planning to attack the Alpha Quadrant?"

- Worf and Elim Garak

"You want me to sponsor your application to Starfleet Academy?"
"What do you think?"
"I... think it is a bad idea."

- Worf and Garak, who had no intention of actually applying

"Lying is a skill like any other. And if you want to maintain a level of excellence, you have to practice constantly."

- Garak, to Worf

"Mr. Worf, you're no fun at all!"
"Good!"

- Garak and Worf

"It's the honorable thing to do."
"You use that word, but you have no idea what it means."
"Maybe not, but you do."

- Garak and Worf

"The man is a heartless, cold blooded killer."
"Like I said, he's a Cardassian!"

- Dukat and Kira, talking about Garak

"Save your excuses, Major. You've betrayed me, and I promise you I won't forget it."
"If that is a threat, I'm not impressed."
"There was a time when Bajorans took Cardassian threats seriously."
"Not anymore."

- Dukat and Kira

"When were you brought here?"
"Over a month ago. I was attending a burn treatment conference on Meezan IV. I went to bed one night, and woke up here."
"The same thing happened to me, except... I was hunting sabre bear out on Kang's Summit. Little did I know I was being stalked as well. And now I'm told the Changeling that replaced me has caused the deaths of countless Klingons. It is a grave dishonor."
"You are not to blame."
"I can only imagine what my replacement is up to on the station."
"We must escape and warn Captain Sisko before that Changeling carries out his mission."

- Garak, Bashir, Martok, and Worf

"Ziyal, you have to trust me. Things are going to change on Cardassia."
"What things?"
"I don't have time to explain. You're leaving now!"
"I can't go!"
"It's him, isn't it? That despicable tailor! You don't want to leave because you're waiting for him!?"

- Dukat and Ziyal

"A man shouldn't allow his enemies to outlive him."

- Tain, to Garak

"Elim. Promise me one thing."
"I'm listening."
"Don't die here. Escape. Live."
"Let me guess. So I can make the Dominion pay for what they've done to you."
"You wouldn't deny an old man his revenge, would you?"
"I'll do as you ask, on one condition...That you don't ask me this favor as a mentor, or a superior officer... but as a father asking his son."
"You're not my son."
"Father, you're dying. For once in your life, speak the truth."
"I should have killed your mother before you were born. You have always been a weakness I can't afford."
"So you've told me. Many times. Listen, Enabran. All I ask is that for this moment, let me be your son."
(a pause) "Elim, remember that day...in the country. You must've been almost five."
"How can I forget it? It was the only day."
"I can still see you, on the back of that riding hound. You must've fallen off a dozen times. But you never gave up."
"I remember limping home...You held my hand."
"I was very proud of you, that day."

- Tain and Garak

Background

Origins

Interestingly, the earliest origins of this episode involved not the Dominion but Michael Eddington. The plan was to do an episode inspired by the 1963John Sturges film The Great Escape, with Eddington in the role of the escapee. Obviously, this episode was going to be a sequel to "For the Uniform". The producers liked the idea because it would force the audience to empathize with Eddington, while the Federation was basically going to be portrayed as the bad guys. The reason the episode never got made was because, as Ira Steven Behr explains, "We weren't confident that the fans were really behind the character." So while they changed their plans for how to use Eddington, the idea for doing a 'prison break' episode never went away, and eventually, that idea formed the basis of this two-parter. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)

This episode represents the next stage in the evolution of the relationship between Kira and Dukat. Episodes such as "The Maquis, Part II" and "Civil Defense" had served to soften the animosity between them and add a degree of ambiguity as to how their relationship might develop. Subsequently, this ambiguity led to the episodes "Indiscretion" and "Return to Grace", where they were forced to actually form an alliance (much to Kira's chagrin, and Dukat's pleasure). "In Purgatory's Shadow" however represents the end of that brief alliance, and the beginning of a renewed period of antipathy between them.

Dukat's line to Ziyal "Stay here and be damned!", parallels Kang's line to Jadzia "Come and be damned!" in "Blood Oath". Both characters were concealing the fact that they were collaborating with enemies. Kang, of course, would later redeem himself, unlike Dukat.

Changeling infiltrators

When Worf and Garak meet Julian Bashir in Internment Camp 371, he is wearing the old style uniform (which made its last appearance in "The Ascent" earlier in Season 5). It is therefore likely that Bashir was captured and replaced some time before the events of "Rapture". This would mean that the Changeling infiltrator not only performed brain surgery on Sisko in "Rapture", but also helped deliver Kirayoshi O'Brien and was either unable or unwilling to save the life of the sick infant Changeling in "The Begotten". Of the Bashir as Changeling storyline, Alexander Siddig said "Apparently, I'd been a changeling for the previous three or four shows before this fact was revealed in "In Purgatory's Shadow". But I didn't know it until the last minute. So obviously it had no impact in how I'd played him in those earlier episodes. Once I did know, I had a chance to do something about how the other Bashir behaved. But what a shock!" (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion) Bashir's status as a Dominion prisoner would return in the sixth season episode "Inquisition".

Since Bashir said he went to bed one night and woke up in prison, Ronald D. Moore commented "He musta been verrrrrry tired and fallen asleep in his uniform." (AOL chat,1997)

This episode marks the first appearance of the real Martok. We know this is the first time we have met the real character because when he meets Worf, he merely says "I have heard of you." The real Martok's attitude stands in contrast to his depiction earlier in the series. He seems more empathetic and less hostile to others, especially Worf. He also has none of the desire for war with the Federation which his doppelganger possessed. In "The Way of the Warrior", Worf embarrassed Martok's son in public, simply to get the General's attention, and it seems unlikely he would forget such a thing. This is further corroborated when Martok says his last memory before ending up in the internment camp was sabre bear hunting; previous scenes involving Martok featured his full involvement in the war and he seemed unlikely to have had reserved time for such a recreational activity. As such, the Martok we met in "The Way of the Warrior" is undoubtedly the Changeling infiltrator who is killed in "Apocalypse Rising" and not the real Martok, although there is still some discussion amongst fans as regards exactly when Martok was replaced.

Behind the scenes

The author Judy Klass, (whose novels include the Pocket TOS novel The Cry of the Onlies) pitched the concept of Tain being Garak's father. She commented "though I did not get on-screen credit for it, [it was] the idea that Garak was the illegitimate son of Enabran Tain, and that was one more reason why he's a double or triple agent and a chronic liar; he has had to spend his whole life pretending not to know that the man who is his patron and a 'friend of the family' is his father. Robert Hewitt Wolfe was a gentleman and called me a year after I pitched the idea as a basis for an episode to tell me they were using it, tucked inside another episode, and paying me for it". Klass received US$1,000 for the pitch. (Voyages of Imagination)

In the original screenplay for this episode Tain's acknowledgment of Garak as his son was much more straightforward, he simply admits to being his father, says he loves him, and dies. Ira Steven Behr never liked this scene however, so he ultimately rewrote it to the scene in the finished episode where Tain does acknowledge his son, but in a very oblique way. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)

Tribute screen

This episode is dedicated to the late Derek Garth, a grip who was killed in a car accident while on his way to work during the filming of this very episode.

This is the only episode of the series to be directed by Gabrielle Beaumont and is the last episode directed by her in terms of production.

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